The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a fuse holder clip and to a new and improved clip-type fuse holder formed from such fuse holder clips.
In its more specific aspects the invention relates to a new and improved fuse holder clip into which one end cap of an electrical fuse can be inserted while the other end cap of such fuse is inserted into a similar clip, the two clips being electrically insulated from each other and mechanically interconnected in a mirror image relationship.
In other words, the present invention relates to a new and improved fuse holder clip formed of an electrically conductive material for selectively accommodating one end cap of the first end caps of a first electrical fuse of a first type and of a second electrical fuse of a second type each having oppositely situated first and second end caps. The fuse holder clip comprises a substantially U-shaped first clip means having two first legs and a connecting web. Each leg of the two first legs has substantially arcuate first clamping regions substantially conjointly defining a first hypothetical or imaginary longitudinal axis of the first clip means about which the first clamping regions are substantially concentric. The two first legs extend in a substantially common direction substantially transverse to the first hypothetical longitudinal axis on each side thereof.
Fuse holder clips of this kind and clip-type fuse holders formed by opposingly arranging such clips in coacting relationship are frequently used, for example, in combination with printed circuit boards or the like.
Heretofore employed constructions of such clips were only suited for accommodating only one specific type of electrical fuse of a predetermined dimension.
Increasing international trade has resulted in the desire and practical need that an electrical instrument or the like preferably be provided with means or a facility for accommodating differently dimensioned fuses, for instance two differently dimensioned fuses, so that such electrical instrument can be selectively fitted with fuses for domestic use as well as for export use without any problems.
Until now it was necessary to mount two pairs of fuse holder clips which could be arranged either in series along a common axis, in parallel or in a predetermined angular relationship. In each case there was required substantial space which runs counter to the present tendency towards miniaturization of electrical devices whenever possible. Furthermore, it is not possible to distinctly recognize or easily discern whether a fuse is possibly missing when one fuse holder of the two adjacently arranged and independent fuse holders is empty. If, on the other hand, a fuse is inserted into each fuse holder, the protective function may be impaired.